While Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) technical teams are working to restore services in the southeast islands, BTC initiated communications centers for residents on Ragged Island, Inagua and in Clarence Town, Long Island, allowing them to make telephone calls and send emails to their loved ones free of charge.

On Ragged Island, customers will be able to make telephone calls at the BTC office. On Inagua and in Clarence Town, customers are able to make telephone calls and send emails from the BTC locations. Residents will be given three minutes each, allowing them to connect with loved ones.

BTC advises, at this time, calls are only able to leave the island. Customers are not able to make calls into the island. The call centers will be opened from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today.

On Sunday, BTC mobilized a 30-member assessment team to review the state of the network. The team traveled through San Salvador and Crooked Island on Sunday. The team then flew to Long Island on Monday.

Initial reports show that there has been significant damage to BTC's systems in each of the affected areas.

BTC continues to work diligently to restore services to all affected by the turmoil of Hurricane Joaquin and will provide regular updates on our progress, the company said.

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